Off to a Rough Start
by DarkMeditation
Summary: After Raven and Robin take care of a little pest problem in Gotham, it seems Joker has his sights set on a new little Birdie to keep him on his toes.  Note: ONESHOT AU. More development in this universe to come from subsequent postings


((Okay. This here was written for a Tumblr RP between my Raven (darkmeditation) and a Joker (thejokenobodygets). The two of us have created this complete crack pairing for something we've aptly named Javen… Something about it works somehow. This was one of the many possible ways the two could have met.

Disclaimer: Dude, I don't own shit. If I did, I wouldn't be on the internet.))

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><p><em>Drip<em>

The sleeping girl barely stirred as a small water droplet fell onto her forehead. The storm outside had left her feeling a little restless. Normally rain calmed her, but the wind and thunder had shaken her a bit, rousing her previously in the night.

_Drip. Drip._

Her eyes flinched as two more drops hit her forehead. Something felt odd… Even in her groggy state of almost-consciousness she could sense something a bit off.

Wait, why were the drops hitting her face? She was indoors. Her room had no leaks… Slowly, Raven opened her eyes and gasped at what she met with her gaze. A panicked yelp escaped her as she made to scream out. Before she could make another sound, though, a gloved hand was there to cover her mouth.

"No no no, don't! Just hear me out!" A very creepy and very soaked Joker was poised over her, just watching her sleep. His smile appeared to be a little wider than normal, and THAT was saying something. With his eyes bugged out like this, it looked like he hadn't slept in days.

Although almost frozen in confusion and fear, Raven managed to wriggle up out of the man's grasp.

In an instant, her hand was up, glowing. The man found himself unable to move. Hell, he was lucky he could even breathe at this point. "What are **you **doing in **my** room?" Darkened eyes narrowed to slits as she kept her hold solid, Joker now floating several feet back from his previous point. A slight twitch of the eye showed just how perturbed she really was.

"Sweet Raven," the man cooed. Cooed? The fuck was the Joker doing cooing at her? Now this just wasn't going to bode well for the clown-man. "Please, I just want to talk~"

With her other arm, she willed the wide window in her room open. (An: because breaking it would be too messy just roll with it) Raven stood and kept her eyes locked on his as she moved him so that he was dangling…no…hovering a good 5 feet out over the rocks.

"Explain. **Now.**"

Her eyes narrowed even more. A shudder ran up the girl's spine. How had he even gotten in there… And right under Robin's nose? Ugh… 'Disgusting,' she thought to herself.

Now Joker was shaking at this point, the rain dripping through, chill cutting him to the bone. "Sweet girl, just listen," he spoke, a nervous chuckle taking the place of more serious laughter. With all of the water washing over him, the man's normally eerie clown makeup had started to run. Deep red dripping down his jaw, black smudges from sockets to cheeks. It was an interesting sight to see. "Raven, please. I've admired you from afar. Since your mission in Gotham. You and that little Robin worked to get me?"

That much was true, they had been called in to take over for a few days while Bruce was recovering from a rather serious injury. Robin had asked Raven to accompany him for her healing abilities. Having someone like that would come in handy, especially should they be captured.

During their stay, the two had a run-in with the Joker and his crones, and the empath had shown him just what her umbrakinesis was capable of.

"Thrilling, my dear. Your power is quite lovely. So dark, so…raw. So passionate." He spoke as if… Oh god…

The way he licked his lips looked as if he were almost hungry for what the girl could do.

"Joker," she said coolly. "Your intentions?"

"Why, my sweet little songbird~" Those brown eyes sparkled once again. "To love you."

And there it was. Joker had used the "L-word." For this man, who held no trust for any other than him and a few other rogues, to use such a word, it was terrifying. Truly terrifying.

Raven's eyes widened, shock and awe the only thing visible. Fear was gone, or at least overpowered now. Trembling, she closed her eyes and drew him closer to the window, just out of arm's reach. "You…" she breathed, her voice low and menacing. "Leave this place, go back to Gotham." She began to lower him closer to the rocks below, slowly. "Robin will not be pleased to know of your presence in Jump City. I advise you get out. And Stay OUT of MY room!" With that last shout, she willed him out farther, tossing him into the bay. Leaving the man to swim to shore, or drown in the storm.

Whichever the fates would have.

Hours passed, and a ragged Joker finally dragged himself up onto the docks. His makeup was completely washed off at this point, perhaps that was for the best. "My sweet Raven," He walked slowly towards the bright lights of downtown, the squish of each step the only sounds apart from the rain falling around him. "You will see… just how much I wish for you to love me."

Almost a week had passed since her little episode, and Raven hadn't told any of her teammates yet. It was none of their concern, and would only make Robin worry more than he already did. Joker… for him to be here, in Jump City… Raven wondered if he really was honest in his intentions.

She mulled over that thought as she made her way from the training room back to her room, a soft towel around her neck, hair pulled back. She'd decided to take on some training in the hopes of increasing her upper body strength, lest Joker return.

Lo and behold, the girl opened her door to see a soft glow. But. She hadn't lit her candles before leaving… She never left them lit when she wasn't meditating…

This was bad.

_Very** very** bad._

Raven was absolutely terrified. So she did what she thought she should. She picked the communicator from her hip and pressed the call button on the side. "Robin," her voice rang over the frequency. "I've got a situation, possible break-in. M-my room."

She waited for his response and slowly stepped inside her room, looking around for anything else out of the ordinary. That's when she saw it.

On her wall, spelled out entirely in Joker calling cards, was the not-so cryptic message: 'LOVE ME'. Underneath the message began a trail of rose petals, her face reddened, as she assumed where those petals led.

"I'm on it, Rae." She finally heard over the communicator. "Ten minutes away, just hold tight."

Shit.

That's right… nobody else was there…

Frantic, the girl turned to exit the room. As she spun, she came face to face with a somewhat familiarly dressed Joker. Sans makeup.

"I told you, sweet girl." His eyes were wild, hair actually combed. Had… had he actually groomed himself? Joker stepped closer to her, the girl responding by stepping back with each advance. A gloved hand gripped her wrist. Not tight enough to cause pain, but not loose enough for her to force her way out of, especially after just training for a few hours.

"Your power, so dark, so misunderstood. Just like me. Please, my little Raven," he spoke softly. Had the circumstances been different (an: had this not been the Joker forcing his way into her room in an eerily stalker-esque manner) she might have found the words sweet. "We are alike, you and I. Come to me, let me bare your troubles. I'll be here to worship the very ground you walk on. I've grown to admire your grace, your poise, and your invariable ability to take down your enemies." His hand slid up her arm slowly, her cheeks flushed not only from the contact, but also from the proximity.

The man's face was just inches from hers, but the girl was in such a state of shock, she couldn't speak. "Help me prove that perhaps this Joker might just deserve a Queen." His other hand moved to the small of her back, pulling her in even closer. "You didn't understand just how much I meant what I said last time. Now… let me _show you_."

Eyes wide with fear, Raven let out a scream, cut short by the forcing of Joker's lips to her own. The scream now muffled, Raven squirmed, trying to fight away. To no avail, though, as she felt his fingers press harder on her lower back, gripping at the fabric of her shirt.

Control of her emotions was more or less gone at this point. Books came flying off the shelves, a vase on the far dresser shattered, and the light above them flickered.

Rage, nothing but pure RAGE.

"JOKER!" Raven yelped as the man was ripped away from her by means of a birdarang to the face. She fell to the ground, huddled into a small ball, trying to calm herself enough to help Robin. "Raven, are you okay?" The boy helped her to her feet, supporting her shaking frame.

Her free hand clenched to a fist and she pushed off from him. "Robin… " She said, her voice gravely and harsh. "Forgive me for what I'm about to do." Not waiting for his response, she stormed towards the downed Joker, surrounding his entire body in a pulsing black energy. "I warned you, Joker! Stay OUT OF MY ROOM!" She flung him at the window, smirking as she heard his pained grunt. The glass shattered over the man's body, Raven sending him flying back out into the bay again.

With a huff, she turned to face Robin, her face red still. "Sorry about the window…"

Her leader walked over and sat on the bed beside her. "Rae… are you okay?" He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. "I'll have the window fixed tonight. Right now… tell me what happened." One more squeeze, his masked eyes narrowing. "Everything."

And so Raven told him all of what had happened, his first encounter, the random notes that she'd found around the tower. And… the roses that lay beneath them right now… "He's insane... I'm terrified. He knows my every move, but I don't know how! Every teleport, every chant, it's like he sees it…"

"Raven. Don't worry. We'll protect you." Robin nodded. "I'm going to go call Bruce. Right now, I want you to go stay in Star's room. She'll be back soon, and you'll be safe there. Okay?"

Putting on a brave face, Raven nodded. "Right."

The rest of that day went slow for the girl. She couldn't sleep that night, and it showed the next day. When the Titans were called out for a mission the next day, Robin ordered Raven to stay behind; Cyborg would stay with her.

"Rae, you gonna be alright?" Cy looked over at the girl. She'd always been quiet, but this was insane. She withdrew even more her hood staying up, and her meditation taking longer and longer.

"Yes." Short answers again. "I'll be fine. I don't know why you all are blowing this so out of proportion."

"We care, Rae."

She turned from him. "I know. I just… I don't want to think about it." If Robin hadn't gotten her call… No. Raven shook her head. No such thoughts. None at all. She willed them from her mind.

The rest of that day went uneventful. Robin and the others returned from patrol with food. A quiet meal ensued, before the team broke for bed. Raven nestled into bed beside Starfire. Not normally one to share a bed with the other female team member, she was obeying orders of staying in her room until the girl's own window was fixed.

"Friend, you are going to do the sleeping over, yes?"

"Yes, Star…"

"Fear not, my friend Raven." Starfire's soft smile was a bit relaxing. "All will be well."

If only it were that simple…

In the night, Raven didn't wake once. Fast acting chloroform would make sure of that. Neither girl stirred as Raven was hoisted from the bed and taken from the room.

Several hours later, Raven felt the soft brush of wind on her cheek. A smoky smell forced her to wrinkle her nose as her eyes fluttered open. Still a bit disoriented, she mumbled out in the dark. "At-aar?" No response. She called again. "Starfire?" Things started to come into focus a bit more now, there was an orange glow in the sky. And she heard…no…

Raven jolted up, jumping to her feet in the unfamiliar area. Wind whipped at her cape, the fabric billowing back and forth.

"Finally awake, my love?" That voice came from behind her.

"Joker, what?"

"Shush, my dear." He stepped up and placed a finger to her lips. "Do call me Jack." Raven shook her head and made to talk, but he would have none of that. The one finger on her lips turned to his entire hand covering the girl's mouth. "You were so rough last time, darling Bird~" the man cooed. "I had no idea you played that way. If I did, I would have come prepared." A devilish smirk played on his lips, her eyes widening in response. "My heart burns for you, sweet Raven of the night, the blaze can not be tamed. Just as this is true within me, you needed to see it made real."

With that, he spun her around and held her shoulders as she stared out towards the forest. A blaze roared, in the shape of a lopsided heart.

"Now I know it's not perfect, my dear" he leaned in over her shoulder, lips pressed close to her ear.

"Wh…" The girl was petrified.

"But neither am I~"


End file.
